The Lotus' Blade
by Cloud Titan
Summary: Book 1 of an epic series: (Chapter 2&3 Rated T) A despondent Fox finds comfort from Po after Master Zoran's death. Meanwhile Huntress and Tai Lung's Big Bad Brother wreak havoc on Crater City in order to capture its residents and lure their protectors 'The Twin Masters' Jin and Jun to their demise.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Greetings ladies and gentlemen. I am Saturn_Ascend and this is my first KFP fanfic. This take place directly after KFP 2 (has nothing to do with Legends of Awesomeness).

Chapter 1.

 ** _Ascension_**

 _The Proverb: "I see a rock emerging from the thorn bush. On this very stone was founded the world. And it was given the power to rebuild and destroy. Look! Nothing could stand in it's way. Whatever rose up in opposition was crushed, like pottery with an iron scepter. Whoa, to you inhabitants of Asia! For who will save you from the coming wrath?"_

 _Somewhere in Japan:_ There were flashes of lightening, a deafening ripple of thunder shook the mountaintop. He: that is the stranger (Tai Lung's brother), gradually let down his hood. The black leopard leaned down and took his Master's necklace. A wild squall fluttered his cloak as he stood over the body.

He removed his outer garment and covered the remains of his Master "My training is finished."

His golden pupils shifted to the fiery horizon-they drifted under a stormy view of eastern China. _And_ _look!_ The fading light of a small eastern hamlet caught his attention. It was between him and the pier. He compared the size of his paw to the small village below. A raving cackle of his laugher echoed down into the canyon. Under the severe downpour his paws were washed clean of bloodstains.

As the sunlight subdued to a even greater darkness an evil smile came over him _'Now nothing will stand in my way.'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile:_ The window blinds of Tigress' room shuddered. She rose from a meditative position and approached it. The papyrus scrolls near her window scattered about. While she shut the window her attention centered on the papers. One in particular: a page from her diary, the postliminary account of-Tai Lung.

She was thinking herself away, covering over the present with past experiences. They were all so real, as if it had been yesterday. In her mind's eye Tigress appeared before the battle with Tai Lung-in an ominous fog; fog so thick you could cut through it with a knife. This was a place often the setting of her dreams. She analyzed her surroundings; the rickety bridge which span over a cleft: a cleft of seemingly endless cloud cover.

Tigress' eyes opened: the recreated scene vanished into the confines of her enclosed room. Another breeze caught hold of her as someone entered the hall outside. Instinctually Tigress wrapped her arms around herself. Her fur bristled and prompted a shiver. Just as she journeyed back into thought there was a knock at the door.

 _Presently,_ Master Shifu offered a small porcelain cup to the withered hands of an old friend: the white cheeked gibbon sighed, his hands quivered.

Their silhouettes danced to a flickering flame in the fireplace "I tried to reason with him, you know?"

Shifu stared down at his cup of tea and assessed Zoran's words before replying "You've done what you could Master Zoran. All we can do is hope that in time our brother will come to his senses."

A pause fell over their conversation "Yes."

Master Zoran cleared his throat and adjusted the pillow under him. His thumb aimlessly went around the edge of his tea cup.

He smiled "I remember days when we could barely have a conversation without arguing. (I) Couldn't get you to change your mind if it killed me."

A slight laugh slipped Shifu's grasp "Times do change-I was young once. The youngest I recall, and perhaps the most reckless."

"Those were the days." Zoran coughed.

"You always were the one who kept us together all those years."

"No. You chose to stay." Zoran replied.

The white cheeked gibbon held a handkerchief over his mouth and coughed. Master Shifu's spirits dampened. Zoran had been suffering from an unknown illness. In time the ailment had gotten worse. While they were yet silent Master Tigress entered the room.

"Master." she bowed "You've requested my presence."

"Yes." he took her aside "I'm afraid Master Zoran's pupil is downstairs in the foyer. Please, do accompany him. He hasn't said a thing and I'm concerned."

The Bengal tiger nodded.

"Is that Tigress? You've grown so much since the last time I saw you." Zoran motioned for her to come close.

As she came into the firelight he gleamed "My little lotus, how beautiful you are."

Tigress grinned and placed her paw over his "Master, how good it is to see you again. You've gotten..."

"Old?" Zoran suggested.

She didn't know what to say or how to say it-though it's not what she meant. His paw left hers and tucked in the blanket ensconcing him. He weakly patted her.

"Precious little lotus..." The Master's eyes glazed over her and he trailed off into an unexpected nap.

Master Tigress left their presence, she slowly shut the door behind her. Just a brief walking distance away was a spiraling staircase. On the way down a strobe of lightning seized a profile of someone. He was sitting uncomfortably on a tile floor, his back against the wall.

As she came near his appearance was in a traditional Tai Chi garb: a two piece uniform. His button up shirt was woven with Raven skin silk which shone distinctly against her lantern. His pants were knitted from plain dyed cotton to match the shirt. The student's face was buried between his knees.

"Hello. I am Master Tigress." A friendly smile forced over her face.

The pupil lifted his head but said nothing, his expression said plenty. He was upset over the failing health of his Master. She seated herself on the bench beside him and thought: about him, about Zoran but mostly about what to say.

Long ago, Zoran and Shifu both apprenticed under Master Oogway. Though they had grown apart over the years Tigress recalled Master Shifu relating some experiences they had. Over the course of time Master Zoran decided to leave and teach a Kung Fu school of his own in western China. Since he lived so far away it was hard for them to keep in touch. After 20 long years he returned with his apprentice. They were journeying back from Japan together when his condition worsened overnight.

Tigress looked the student over and then up where she had been once before. _There._ Up above Master Monkey watched. Viper slithered up behind him, she smiled consolingly down on Tigress.

Master Mantis was on the headrest of Zoran's chair listening prudently. Crane stood at the doorway. The white cheeked gibbon surfaced from a deep sleep. He mumbled something, a riddle but it seemed like nonsense to Shifu and Mantis.

 _"Over fire and over stone_

 _through darkness and fear of unknown,_

 _shinning out in starlight,_

 _on a sheet of purest night._

 _The beginning of eternity,_

 _the end of time,_

 _do not be afraid_

 _you will be given a sign."_

While Zoran expelled these things his pupil recited it harmoniously as if the two were somehow connected. Tigress watched the student's lips quiver, he hurried upstairs but his Master expired before he could see him again. As Zoran's spirit passed he made Shifu promise.

He said "I must go on to better things. I want you to promise me something. Promise me you'll look after Fox. He is the closest thing I have to family, just as Tigress is to you."

When Fox entered the room with Mantis and Shifu his Master was no where to be seen. He had gradually vanished from their presence. There wasn't a trace of him found anymore except a talisman. A small charm which he had given Shifu for Fox. Almost immediately a powerful wind shut every door and window inside the building, it also smothered every candlelight.

Shifu's paw rested on Fox's shoulder as he kneeled before the chair Zoran had been seated at. Mantis chirped gloomily as the rest of the five came in.

 _'Have safe travels my Master. Please continue to be with me.'_


	2. Spirit Bay

Chapter 2.

 ** _Spirit Bay_**

 _"...when shots have been fired,_

 _and you've put on the necessary equipment._

 _Its nothing personal-it's only a_ _matter of survival."_

The Chinese boarder of Spirit Bay kept silent. It was the peaceful lull of midnight when two large ships approached. They emerged from a ghastly fog. A watchman hurried out over the docks to identify the vague outline of watercraft.

Something though rose up from the distance. It bared down and immediately stopped him where he stood. **Thhwhomp!**

Suddenly, he lost control of the warning bell in his wing and expelled it into the water. The goose padded around his chest and felt the long stock of an arrow. As he stumbled off the dock and fell into the sea, a masked warrior withdrew from the Japanese battle ship. She relieved her quiver of another arrow and studiously fired it upon the port lantern about two hundred feet away.

The bow of the second ship brushed up and stalled in the volcanic sand of Spirit Bay. Both crews boarded the dock and tied off their vessels. An unnerving haunt of moonlight hung over the eastern China sea. The western breeze brought a tinge of sea salt over them.

All together they were about 30 men-trained soldiers of a secret brotherhood known as The Lotus' Blade. A rogue syndicate who's very presence had been the subject of rumors and heresy. The evidence of thier existence however died in the possession of thier victims...until now. Tonight the ghosts walked among the living.

Just as the villanous leopard stepped onto the dock a calm set in and it left the sea as still as a glass plated-window. His fur was darker than night, he stood head and shoulders above them all. Respectively his brethren stood at attention as The Overlord passed by. A few of them held their breath as if the air itself coming off him was poisonous.

The skeletal mask of the female archer (Huntress) glistened in the moonlight. The insidious assassin toyed with one of her daggers. She flipped and rolled the double edged blade between her claws as he approached.

"What are your orders?" She inquired.

His lips curled slightly back into his teeth "Burn the city to the ground, but keep the residents alive."

The Huntress cocked her head to the side; a treacherous grin evident under her mask. At once she left; her and half his army. They came upon a squatter hill then spread out a considerable distance and climbed it's summit. On the other side was a gigantic crater-a volcanic crater left thousands of years ago. Hence the town deep in it's recesses was called Crater City.

* * *

 _It was at break of dawn when:_ He ran through the puddle of rain water, it soaked his pant leg and dirtied his shirt. The voices of Shifu and The Furious Five carried after him. The branches and shrubbery alienated the fox from their sight. He came across a footpath and merged onto it. He didn't know where it would lead him he didn't care, as long as it was far away from the Jade Palace.

It was hard to see past the tears, the burning tears. Maybe that was why he collided with someone on the trail. He fell back and landed in the mud hole he had avoided earlier. Immediately his arms went up, shook the mud off them and wiped the muck from his face.

At his feet he could see the figure-the mound of fur approaching him. Fox looked up, blinked a few times and spit the mud out of his mouth. The stranger had a cape or rather an apron which hung loosely around him.

The panda stopped, bent over slightly and braced his body weight "Sorry."

He took a moment to catch his breath, then pointed behind him and shook his head "Stairs. Gets me every time."

Po pulled the stranger to his feet "Sorry about that."

Master Fox stood there pointing; his mouth wide open "Yes. It is I, The Dragon Warrior."

Po panted as he bowed. His smile faded to concern. The swollen, tender eyes of the fox seem to go right through him-as if he could see to the other side. The panda sat down beside him. They looked beyond the footpath onto two peach trees. One of them (The Peach Tree of Wisdom) unfortunately was dead, withered and scorched by the sun. There was another one however a much younger peach tree, yes the very one Shifu planted the night of Master Oogway's passing.

Po rested his arms on his belly. He leaned back into the roots, dirt and grime of the hillside. A few moments passed by, and yet not a word came from the visitor. Po studied his face, but kept silent. The fox reached into his outer garment, into the inner breast pouch of his coat and held a talisman.

A low grumble came from Po's stomach, he padded his tummy. "You hungry?"

Fox's brow lifted as he turned slightly at The Dragon Warrior. "You know when I'm feeling down food always cheers me up."

Master Fox carefully wrapped the talisman in a handkerchief and put it away. He nodded and followed Po back to the Jade Palace. They made a short journey across the courtyard of The Jade Palace, no one was present it seemed. Po came upon two large wooden doors-solid oak doors which took quit a bit of wrestling to open.

This was The Lodging Chamber-an under glorified mansion where Po, The Furious Five and eventually Fox would occupy. There was a terrible squeak from the hinges which forced Fox to wince. Once inside Po propped the doors open with a punching bag. It was a little dark, even during midday the sunlight scarcely entered the building.

Partly because of its architectural position and partly because the windows were so high up and thin in profile. He laid his paw on one of the wooden pillars and quietly waited for Po. This place greatly differed from Master Zoran's Tai Chi and Kung Fu school. _So much bigger. Grander._

The kitchen was surprisingly smaller than he anticipated, especially compared to the structure itself. He looked up at the rafters above him and for no apparent reason twirled around until his hip bumped the dinning table. Po reached into a cabinet and took the clay jar from inside it.

He removed the lid and placed it on the table "Here you go."

Fox sat down, thanked him, took a cookie and broke it into two pieces. "You don't say much do you?"

He swallowed and nervously avoided eye contact with Po "You probably want to wash up. There's a river just south if here, it's where we do our laundry. You're welcome to use it."

After they snacked Po led him to a closet, gave him a bar of soap and one towel "Breakfast should be in 2 hours."

As The Dragon Warrior handed him these things Fox smiled, he greatly appreciated Po's care and consideration. While Fox went down to the river he couldn't help but look forward to dinner, hopefully a nice meal would help ease his mind. About a stone throw away Shifu watched him leave, he was at a loss for words.

The Kung Fu Master sighed, he too mourned the loss of Zoran. Although encouragement wasn't his strong suit his empathy could feel the pain. He found it very hard to express himself, he regretted it-he loathed it. A stiff breeze rustled the leaves and blew over Shifu, it made his facial hair dance but his face remained unmovable.

He felt a familiar presence, the aura of Master Tigress as she stood beside him. On his way inside he touched Tigress' arm and smiled reassuringly. She didn't know how to respond. Deep down there were times like this when Tigress could see him surface as the father figure she wanted him to be but it was only for brief moments. In her arms was a hamper, a large basket of her dirty clothes.


End file.
